Wrist engaging arrangement for handles to be gripped by a towed water or land skier or the like



United States Patent [72] Inventor Frank M. Du Mas 2327 Overton Road, Augusta, Georgia 30904 [21] App1.No. 811,141

[22] Filed March 27, 1969 [45 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,720 5/1911 Schneider 3,324,818 6/1967 Dunlap 115/6.1

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Jennings Bailey, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A bar intended to be attached to a towrope and of a size to be gripped by the hand has connected with it a wrist engaging member which has a first generally flat portion connected to the bar and extending from the bar by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the center of the palm and the beginning of the wrist and a wrist engaging portion having a part for engaging the inside of the wrist with inwardly bent wings on each edge of the part for engaging the sides of the wrist. The free edges of the wings are spaced apart. The wrist engaging member is formed of plastic or metal of sufficient resiliency to permit it to release the wrist of the wearer in case of a fall. The wrist engaging member may be separate from the bar and be connected by a portion curled around the bar which is also sufficiently flexible to come off the bar in the case ofa fall.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 7 3,541,990

INVENTOR FRANK M. DU MAS A ATT RNEY WRIST ENGAGING ARRANGEMENT FOR HANDLES TO BE GRIPPED BY A TOWEI) WATER'OR LAND SKIER OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field ofthe Invention The invention relates to a gripping arrangement for use by persons being towed as in water or land skiing.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of wrist engaging devices are known for use in connection with handles gripped by skiers. This includes various arrangements for engagement around the wrist. However such arrangements are dangerous because they do not release the skier in case ofa fall, which is likely to cause serious injury particularly at high speeds. Failure to use such devices may, however, be extremely tiring.

When the hand forms around a ski handle it forms essentially a hook. All other parts of the body in water skiing either can remain stable or relatively relaxed but the hand must constantly form a hook as it wraps around the ski handle if the skier is to stay in motion. Many skiers do dangerous things such as hooking their elbows through the ski handle or tying it around their waist. If a'skier should fall under these conditions with a 2,000-pound test nylon rope he could easily be maimed or even killed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a device which permits a water skier to ski much farther and longer than he has ever been able to do before. What it does is to assist the skier at the part of his body which gets tired first: either hands or arms but particularly the hands. This device is attached to the ski handles and fits around the wrist and hand in such a way that much of the pull is taken offthe hand and carried by the device.

The present device hasin its preferred form a double builtin safety feature in that, for the detachable, snap-on device the part that snaps on to the handle can be designed to have an incomplete closure such that the springy nature of the material will cause the ski device to snap off of the handle if the skier should fall in the water. The amount of force that would be required for this part to snap off can be adjusted for small, medium, and large individuals such that the thickness of the material, the kind of material, and the width will be strong enough to maintain the skier in motion but not so strong as to maintain its hold on. the ski bar under the strong pull exerted when askier falls.

A second safety feature is that the cuff coming around the wrist and form fitted to the hand is not completely closed. Since this is made of a springy material such as spring steel coated with some kind of plastic material or, preferably, a-

springy plastic which is very tough and capable of being molded.

If a single unit ski handle is used, then the single safety device of the open wrist band is the main safety feature which permits the release ofthe skier if he should fall into the water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS member includes a portion 8 which is curved around the bar P, a generally flatpalm-engaging portion 10 extending therefrom and a second part 12 for engaging the inside of the wrist bent at an angle to the portion 10 and having Wings 14 extending from each edge thereof and having curved spaced inner ends at 16 for engagement around the wrist like a cuff.

The bar and the portions 8 are substantially of a size to be gripped in the average human hand. The flat portion 10 is of a size to be engaged by the palm ofthe hand, while the wings l4 engage on opposite sides of the wrist the base of which rests against the part 12.

The device is made of either plastic or metal or any material sufficiently yieldingly resilient so that, in case of a fall, the wrist can pull out ofthe space between the wings i6 and in addition if this does not happen, the portions 8 curved around the bar 2 will yield sufficiently so that the bar will escape.

The form of FIGS. 4 and 5 does not have this latter feature. FIG. 4 shows a bar 18 formed of one piece, having extending fromit members 20 with wrist-enclosing wings 22, these being of the same shape as the portions 10, 12 and 14 of the first form.

FIG. 5 shows how individual grips may be used in pairs, each composed of a bar 24 with projecting portion 26 and wrist engaging wings 28.

The device can be made of any springy material such as a plastic and padded with a waterproof material such as foam vinyl which is now used in ski jump vests and ski belts. This 7 material is waterproof, strong, cushiony soft, and resists mildew, rotting, and the like. It also can be molded into almost any shape.

The snap-on ski handle of FIGS. 1 to 3 can be used on present ski equipment and can be used both for single handle and double handle slalom ski tow ropes. The single piece molded device of FIGS. 4 and 5 can also be made in a single unified ski handle or in the slalom double ski handle. The foam padding will tend to make all the handles float if they should snap off and fall free intothe water.

These devices also have a wide range of other possible uses such as: snow skiing behind horses, snowmobiles or other vehicles; water skiing, either being pulled by land vehicles in a canal or on the open water, kite skiing where individuals ski I along and then rise into the air with the help of a large kite; roller skating behind a power vehicle of some sort, or even behind an airplane. There are a wide variety of uses to which it could be put. The main advantages are that it facilitates the long, continued enjoyment of a sport while at the same time making the sport far less dangerous and far safer.

Iclaim:

In combination with a bar of a diameter to be readily gripped by the human hand and having a portion to which a rope can be secured, a wrist-engaging member comprising a first generally flat portion connected to the bar, said portion extending from the be bar by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the center ofthe palm and the beginning ofthe wrist ofa human hand, and a second wrist-engaging portion having a second part for engaging the inside of the .wrist bent away from said first portion, and inwardly bent wings on each edge of said second portion of dimensions to engage the wrist, the free edges ofthe wings being spaced apart, the wings and the first portion being on the same side of said second part, whereby when the wrist is engaged between said wings and the bar is gripped by the hand, the palm of the hand rests on said first portion, said wrist-engaging member being formed of a material of sufficient resilience toallow the wrist to be pulled from between the wings in the event ofa fall.

2. In a device as claimed in claim 1, said first portion being connected to the bar bya part integral therewith partially surrounding the bar. i

3. A wrist engaging device for skiers and the like comprising a first bar engaging part bent into a substantially circular shape with a gap therein of a diameter to be gripped by the human hand and a wrist-engaging member integral therewith and including a first generally flat portion connected to said part extending therefrom by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the center of the palm and the beginning of the wrist ofa human hand, and a second wrist-engaging portion having a second part for engaging the inside of the wrist bent away from said first portion, and inwardly bent wings on each edge of said second portion of dimensions to engage the wrist, the free edges of the wings being spaced apart, the wings and the first portion being on the same side of said second part, whereby when the wrist is engaged between said wings and the bar is gripped by the hand, the palm of the hand rests 

